Method of inflating and sealing hollow spherical objects.



A. A. GREEN. METHOD OF INFLATING AND SEALING HOLLOW SPHERICAL OBJECTS.

- I APPLICAHON FILEP MAYIO. 1915. 1,159,932.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

I Myrna-55:":

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

ALLEN AYRAULT GREEN, or GALESBURG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To HAROLD M. HOLLAND, 0F GALESBURG, ILLINoIs.

METHOD OF INFLATING AND SEALING HOLLOW SPHERICAL OBJECTS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALLEN AYRAULT GREEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Method of Inflating and Sealing Hollow Spherical Objects, of which the following is a specification.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 828,529, filed March 31, 1914, is disclosed a ball inflater and sealer which is well adapted for carrying out a portion 'of'the steps of the method hereinafter disclosed. However, primarily in order to clearly demonstrate that a variety of devices or'appliances mav be, utilized in carrying out those steps I have in the accompanying drawings shown and shall presently describe other but similar means for efl'ectin the s .me purpose.

Tennis and other hollow balls are originallv filled or inflated to the roper degree of resiliency when made, but from either use or lack of use they soon lose their air content and become non-resilient or dead, in which condition they are practically valueless. Prior to my invention (above referred to) there was not, to my knowledge,

any successful means or .method whereby such balls could be restored to their original condition of resiliency. I do not desire it to be understood from the foregoing, however,

that I have concerned either the prior or the. present invention alone :with the re-filling an re-sealing of hollow spheres, for both inventions are adapted equally as well for primary or original inflation and sealing.

It is one purpose and obi ect of this invention to provide'a novel method of inflating and sealing new balls.

Another purpose and obiect is to provide a novel method of re-inflating and re-sealing old balls, whether used or unused.

It is a further object to provide a method of sealing hollow balls with cement or a similar substance, 'in suchm'anner that none of the sealing material will exude either during the process of sealing or afterward.

As above stated, the invention may be carried out with devices differing in construction. -'I have in the accompanying drawings shown very simple means for carrying it into effect. I Y In said drawings: Figurelisavertical central sectional view of a tennis ballv in process of receiving the final step in my improved Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 10, 1915. Serial No. 27,140.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

process or method; Fig. 2, an elevation,

partly in section, of a completed ball; Fig. 3, an enlarged bottom plan detail; Fig.4, an elevation, partly in section, of an injector for the sealing material; and Fig. 5, an elevation of a thumb-awl.

Premising that my invention is not limited or confined to the means shownin said drawings, I now proceed to a detailed description thereof. 1 designates an ordinary type of tennis ball comprising .an inner casing 2 of rubber and an outer casing of fabric, 2. For convenience these two elements may hereinafter be termed the wall. 3 designates a seal-containing tube or inector comprising a tubular casing 4 havmg at one end an apertured head 4 and at its other end a threaded annular projection,

5. 6 designates an annular shoulder providing a seat for the cap 7 whichis fitted with the usual nozzle 8. 9 indicates a pis 10 designates the rod secured ton head. thereto and threadedly engaged with the opening in the head 4, and 11 is the actuating head therefor. 12 designates the semiliquid cement or other sealing material. All these parts are well' known in the art'of injectors.

13 designates an ordinary type of punc turing tool having a large head for convenience of manipulation.

14 designates a fragment of an air pump I tube. or casing having a cap 15 into which is sweated an air valve comprising atube 16, check-valve or valve proper 17 valve stem 18 having 'a' .-head 19, and valvereturn spring 20. v

21 indicates'a cap suitably secured on the outer end of the tube 14, and 22 designates a hollow needle open at its tip.

23 designates a pressure pad or block of leather or other suitable material, preferably provided with ajcentral openmg 24, al-

' 1, and then knotting the ends as shown in same figure. The cord should be drawn sufficiently taut to cause that portion of the pad to be distorted or pressed into a substantially flat 'or plane surface. For the purposes of this specification and the appended claims, the pad or block 23 may bedefined as a distorting element. Any other suitable means than the cord 25 may be employed for retaining it in position. The puncturing toolis then,'if the hole 24.- has been pre-formed-inserted through said hole and through both elements (which together constitute the wall) of the ball. If the hole 24 has not been pre-formed it may be provided by the same operation. It willv suitable quantity of any suitable cement or.

other puncture-sealing material is injected into. the ball, and the nozzle withdrawn.

Air is then forced into the ball cavity, by means of the air-pump shown or in any other suitable manner, until the ball has been inflated to the proper degree of re siliency, which may be determined either by pressure with the fingers or by careful watching of the strain or stress upon the cord. The air valve 17 prevents escape of air while the needle '22 is in place, and im- -mediately upon its. withdrawal, which is now to be accomplished, the sealing material will follow it and fill the conical cavity, but will not exude; The element 23 may however if desired be moved laterally to destroy the coincidence ofthe puncture therein with the one in the ball, in order to prevent a remote possibility 'of'the escape After a short. time the cord 25 may be released and of either the air or. the cement.

the element 23 removed, whereupon the ball is set aside asuificient length of "time-for thesealing materialto harden, which will depend, of course, upon its, nature.

I desire it'to be clearly understood that the two steps of introducing cement into the ball cavity and forcingair thereinto are interchangeable, or, in other words, that either-may precedeand the other follow e What I-claim is:

L. A method ofsealing hollow spherical 1 objects, consisting in distorting a portion of the'object, puncturing the distorted portion,

and injecting sealing material through the puncture. I

2. A method of inflating and sealing hollow spherical objects, consisting in'distorting -a portion of the object, puncturing the I distorted portion, injecting sealing material through the puncture, and forcing air through the puncture.

3. A method of sealing hollow spherical objects, consisting in securi a distorting element against a portion 0 the surface of the object, puncturing the object through the distorting element, and injecting sealing material through said distorting element and puncture.

4;. A method of inflating and sealing hollow sphericalobjects, consisting in securing a distorting element against a portion of the surface of the object, puncturing-said object through said distorting .element, and forcing air and sealing material through said distorting element and puncture. v

5. A method of sealing hollow balls, consisting in securing a distorting element against a portion of the surface of the ball,

, puncturing the ball through'said distorting element, injecting sealing material through the puncture, and 'inoving the distorting element to destroy the coincidence of the puncture therein with the. one in the ball.

6. A method of Sealing hollow balls which consists in distorting a portion of the wall of the ball and injecting sealing material through the distorted portion while it is distorte 7. A method of sealing hollow balls which 4 consists in depressing a portion of the wall of the ball and injecting sealing material 7 through the depressed portion while it is'depressed.

8. A method of inflating and sealing hollow balls, which consists in distorting a portion of the wall of the ball and injecting air anda sealing material through an opening in the distorted portion while it is distorted.

9. A inethod of inflating and sealing hollow balls, which consists in depressing a portion of the wall of the ball and injecting air and a sealing material through an opening in the depressed portion while it is depressed.

10. -A*method of hollow balls,

which consists in securing a punctured object upon the ball and distorting a portion.

of the wall of'the ball thereby, and injecting sealing material through the punctured object and through the distorted portion of the ball while said portion is distorted.

11. Amethod of inflating and sealinghollow balls, consisting in securing a punctured object upon the ball and distorting a portion of. the ball thereby, and injecting sealing material and air through the punctured ob- .ject and through the .ball wall into its cavity while said portion is distorted.

12. A method of filling and sealing hollow balls, which method consists in puncturing the wall of the ball, introducing through the puncture a sealing material and causing it flow into the cavity, and then, by

means of an instrument, injecting compressed air through the puncture and beyond the compound, and then withdrawing the instrument, the compressed air causing the sealing material to flow into the puncthe object, withdrawing the instrument, in-

serting a hollow needle through the sealing material in the object, then pumping air into the ball-cavity, through said needle, and

' then withdrawing the needle and permitting 15 the expansive air to force the sealing material into said opening.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I hereto aflix my signature at Galesburg, Knox county, Illinois, this 30th 20 day of April, 1915.

ALLEN AYRAULT GREEN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WILLIAMS, EULALIA T. LACKENS. 

